III. Corporate Stand on Land Use and Reform - 1994
“Ownership and access to land and adequate housing is an issue of immense importance to the people of God. Land and housing rights, customary ones and those formalized through policies and laws have been disregarded by government agencies and by public and private companies.
“The issue of land rights implies the consideration of the following points:
- the right to live on one’s own land;
- the right to the fruits of the land including mineral and water rights;
- the right to affordable housing, especially in urban areas;
- the responsibility for stewardship of the land;
- the responsibility to preserve and restore the land;
- support for groups working for reform;
- use of influence to bring about desirable changes in economic structures.
“Therefore, the Congregation corporately supports and, when possible, will initiate
efforts to:
- secure the rights of the poor and disenfranchised;
- ensure affordable housing especially for the poor;
- provide fair economic exchange between work and the fruits of the land;
- make persons aware of unjust use of the land to the detriment of the poor;
- challenge the structures that hold the poor captive to the greed of institutions, conglomerates and individuals of wealth;
preserve and restore the land.”
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